Bed-slat-holding means.



No. 705,384. H Patented July 22, I902.

A. n. COOPER.

BED SLAT HOLDING MEANS.

(Application filed. Jan. 2, 1902,)

(lo Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER R. COOPER, OF MILAM, TEXAS.

BED-SLAT-HOLDING MEANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,384, dated July 22, 1902.

Application filed January 2, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER R. COOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mi-' lam,in the county of Sabine and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bed-Slat-Holding Means, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to bed-slat-holding means; and the object of the same is to provide simple and efiective devices for holding the end of a bed-slat, which is in part carried by the latter and the ledge of the side rail and operating to prevent loose assemblage of the slats with bed-rails and obviate a tend ency to easy disengagement and also to main tain the opposite bed-rails in parallel relation and obstruct warping or lateral expansion.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of a bedstead having the features of the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the side rails, showing a member of the invention applied to the slat sockets or seats therein. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one end of a slat embodying a portion of theinvention. Figs. stand 5are detail perspective views of the two members of the improved slat-holding means.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a, bedstead of any preferred form of construction, having side rails 2, with ledges 3 on the inner lower portions thereof, as usual, and provided with slat sockets or seats 4. at regular intervals, which are changed from the usual construction in this instance by depending slots 5, close to the inner side'ofthe railand extending below the level of the bottom wall of each socket.

The essential features of theinvention comprise two members 6 and 7, the member 6 be ing applied to the socket or seat 4 and the ledge 3 and the member 7 to each end of aslat 8, the latter also being of the usual form of construction and performing its ordinary functions.

The member 6 consists of a sheet-metal Serial No. 88 ,193. (No model.)

vide securing-ears 13, having apertures therethrough to receive securing devices, such as screws or other like fastenings. The center of the element 10 also has an aperture 1 1 therethrough for the receptionof a fastening device, and the tongue 9, adjacent its free end, is in like manner formed with fasteningreceiving openings 15. The arms 12 are bent at an intermediate point, so that the bifurcation of the element 11 will provide a slot 16 through said element, and in applying the member 6 it is fitted over the ledge 3 and the under portion of the rail, so that the tongue will bear snugly against the under edges of the ledge and rail and the element 10 against the inner side of the ledge, with the element 11in close engagement with the bottom Wall of the socket'or seat tin each instance. The cars 13 will then be located close to the outer portions of the. side walls of each seat or socket and are just long enough to have their upper edges flush with the upper edge of the ledge. When the member 6 is thus arranged, fastening devices are passed through the apertures in the ears, the [element 10, and the tongue 9 to hold the saidmember against movement, and when the latter is so disposed the slot 16 will aline with the slot 5 in the ledge heretofore referred to.

The member 7 consists of asuitable sheetmetal plate 1'7, formed with apertures 18 for the passage therethrou gh of fastening devices,

. the one end of the plate 17 being reduced and bent downwardly at an angle to form a locking tongue 19. This member 7 is secured to the under side of the slat 8, so that the tongue 19 will be flush with the end of-said slat, each extremity of the latter having one of the members 7 applied thereto.

In applying the slats to the ledge 3 the tongues 19 at each end are inserted through the slots-16 into the slots 5, as clearly shown by Fig. 1, the plate 17 in part bearing upon the element 11, and these two metallic surfaces in contact with each other will prevent wear on the sockets or seats as well as the slat extremities. Moreover, the plates 17 on the opposite extremities of the slats will strengthen the latter. When the tongues 19 are in engagement with the slots 16 and 5, the slats 8 will be prevented from separating from the ledges, the tongues 19 being long enough to compensate for considerable depression of the slats by the weight imposed thereon withoutliabilityofdisengagement. Theslatsembodying the improved tongue or hook feature heretofore explained also tend to maintain the rails 2 in parallel relation and prevent the same from working or expanding laterally, and the general structure of the bedstead is thus rendered more durable.

The improved devices are simple and inexpensive and can be applied to beds now in use without material labor. It will also be seen that the tongues 19 bear against the walls of the slots 16 of the members 6, and

therefore the pulling strain or wearing pressure is removed from the adjacent portions of the ledges or walls of the slot 5.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- The combination of side rails of a bedstead having inner ledges with sockets and vertical slots communicating with the said sockets, slotted metallic members fitted over portions of the ledges and in the. sockets and having tongues secured against the under edges of the ledges and rails, and slats having metallic plates secured to the under sides of the opposite extremities thereof and. provided with downwardly-extending tongues flush with the ends of the slats to removably engage the slots in the ledges communicating with the sockets.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER R. COOPER.

Witnesses:

F. M. LAYFIELD, ELIAS D. KING. 

